These are devastating comments precisely because they feed the Obama campaign narrative that Mitt Romney is a vastly wealthy venture-capitalist who has no feel for the lives of "real" Americans.

Romney is the gift that keeps on giving...to the Democrats. The White House cannot believe its luck to be waging a campaign against a gaffe-prone, inept, and awkward candidate who many conservatives instinctively distrust in the best of times.

So imagine what they're saying now, in the worst of times.

Is the race over? Has President Obama secured re-election with 49 days still left in the campaign?

Not quite. There could be an "October surprise," the fabled out-of-nowhere event that shakes up all Presidential elections.

Hundreds of millions of dollars in TV attacks ads are about to be launched that could help Romney. And the Republican candidate could surprise everyone with stunningly strong performances in the three Presidential debates.

But all those sound implausible.

More likely, Romney stumbles on. Exasperated Republicans stay at home on election day. Obama romps home to a second term.

We can guess what Obama is telling his strategists: No complacency. No let-up. Let's fight every day for every vote. And thank the Lord for giving us Mitt as our opponent.